to X-Plan or not to X-Plan

[N1125Y 22]

Hello All,

 

Got feed up with FSX & SE as well, no matter what I do and how much $$$ invested, & no matter how many times I started from scratch re-installed & tweaked,  I can't get it run. CTD with the hell knows how many different *.dll, got me worn out with this ancient  Behemoth .

 

Now, with the new X-Plane 11 coming out I'm considering abandoning FSX and moving to something that ,at list theoretically, should behave better and buy me some peaceful mind & joy.  So the million $$ question.

What should I expect from X-Plane, mainly when it comes to reliability and stability.

 

I'm a GA guy that fly slow and low in SoCal, and currently the only add-on I'm using is FTX SoCal, few Carenado Birds and that's it 

I'm RW Student Pilot and wish to use the Sim for training purposes.

 

Any thoughts ?

 

 

Happy Holydays

 

Yair  

 

 

       

[Jimmy RFR 406]

Thoughts:

 

- XP10 is very, very stable. I've never had a single CTD of an official release. XP11 is in early beta, but you can bet that it will be very stable on release.

 

- Chances are good, that if you do run into an issue in XP10, it's a very good bet that it's a 3rd party addon / plugin causing the issue.

 

- Carenado birds are very well done in XP. More so, in my experience, than in FSX/P3D. Same textures & modeling, but with less bugs and occasionally more features.

 

- XP scenery is completely different than FTX addon scenery. I prefer it; not everyone does.

 

I can't give you any thoughts regarding your use for training purposes, as I'm only an armchair pilot. :wink:

[pilot83 387]

When i read this post, i remembered this

 

 

[Guest]

Well, to be honest... FSX shouldn't crash like that all the time. I have used FSX for years without a single CTD. So I doubt if you should blame FSX. And even though XP11 is great, it is still in beta and hence things can and do go wrong sometimes: I had a few crashes with it al already, which is more than I had with FSX. Ok, those crashes were due to a bug that has been solved now but this is what is to be expected with a beta. So if you want 100% reliability you probably should wait until XP11 is out of beta. And if your system is the problem, XP may not help at all. You will also need quite a good system with enough RAM, at least 16 GB, and a fast video card with as much VRAM as possible.

 

Also take note that there is no FTX for XP. There are alternatives (like Ortho4XP photoreal with OSM based autogen) but you will have to put some effort in creating things yourself with some tools: you can't purchase an addon that transforms your world with one click. But perhaps you like default XP enough already around California.

[jcomm 5,882]

I'd rather wait  for P3D to go 64 bit, and enjoy all the good add-ons you have in FSX:SE, and can't really have in X-Plane.

 

X-Plane is great in many aspects, but evolves erratically, and one never knows what's really going to happen next, what/when/how issues long being present will be addressed, weather can't compare in terms of visuals even with the expensive X-Enviro which does "miracles" for the lawsy weather depiction, and while Orbx has apparently given back on their initial judgement, and will support X-Plane 11, I believe a 64 bit platform coming by the hands of P3D will revolutionize stability and the old OOM / CTD problems with the 32 bit versions...

 

There are also no highly sophisticated aircraft add-ons in X-Plane like those you have for FSX / FSX:SE / P3D, even if a couple of tittles can approach that level.

[tonywob 4,768]

 

 

I'd rather wait  for P3D to go 64 bit, and enjoy all the good add-ons you have in FSX:SE, and can't really have in X-Plane.

 

Remember that those addons are unlikely to work in 64-bit P3D, and knowing the history of the platform, users will be expected to buy their products again at "professional" prices (if they are even ported at all). Some scenery I suspect will work, but those using compiled code like ORBX won't

[Guest Mik75]

Although a clean, untweaked install of FSX should run very stable, and without crashes, I can highly recommend you to install XP10. If you buy XP11 as a digital download from the official X-Plane site right now, you get XP10 for free. At the moment, XP11 is still in an early beta stage. But it is pretty safe to say, that almost everything you might buy for XP10 now, will work later in XP11 as well.

XP10 can be made visually stunning at a very low price, there is so much free- and donationware available. It offers very nice a/c addons for GA flying (Airfoil Labs, vFlyte, Carenado) and for tubeliner flying (FlyJSim, Flight Factor, IXEG).

It is extremely stable, very smooth and, while being quite "different" to what you might be used to with FSX (menus, installing stuff, handling aircraft in their virtual cockpit, even flying), highly enjoyable and incredibly immersive.

So, absolutely yes, go for it!

[Guest]

I had a very well equipped FSX:SE install and was waiting for either DTG or P3Dv4 to be my future sim. Then XP11 came along and I can neither imagine going back to FSX:SE, nor do I care about future offerings from DTG or P3D now since XP11 looks amazing out of the box, is very smooth, works very reliably, has enough good, some even very good addon aircraft and just feels like a next-gen sim all around. Needless to say you can customize it for little to no money.

 

My recommendation would be to give XP11 a try, since you don't need to commit a lot of money to get a good impression.

[CFIJose 5,485]

I just gained 300gig of SSD space by deleting FSX. :smile:

 

Yesterday's experience was the straw that broke the camel's back. After updating FTX LC Europe, AS16/ASCA, and GSX (It took 2 hours to download) I was greeted by FSX's poor performance, pauses, stutters, and blurry textures. The sim looked ancient compared XP 11. R.I.P. FSX!

 

Fresh new start for 2017.

[sascha 314]

 

 

Remember that those addons are unlikely to work in 64-bit P3D, and knowing the history of the platform, users will be expected to buy their products again at "professional" prices (if they are even ported at all).

 

Very good point!

[Desaix 235]

I just gained 300gig of SSD space by deleting FSX. :smile:

 

Yesterday's experience was the straw that broke the camel's back. After updating FTX LC Europe, AS16/ASCA, and GSX (It took 2 hours to download) I was greeted by FSX's poor performance, pauses, stutters, and blurry textures. The sim looked ancient compared XP 11. R.I.P. FSX!

 

Fresh new start for 2017.

I think that the trade off is between PR3D 64 bit and XP11, FSX for what I understood is just his present configuration he needs to overtake. I'd have the same doubt (wait for 64 bit or move to another platform) if I flew liners fast and high maybe with hundreds if not thousands of money invested in addons already bought for PR3D.

 

It's not clear at all how much an FSX user will have to pay for moving to PR3D 64 bit regarding his stock addons: scenery I guess will port for free, aircraft/utilies I doubt.

 

Personally no way I could move back to fly a GA in FSX after some time (well years) in XP10, it's the whole environment giving a better immersion, FSX looks to me now like a low resolution sim rendered at higher resolution. Of course taking aside light but I'm one that could never stand billboard bulbs in FSX.

[CFIJose 5,485]

Those new to XP might not know that there's a way to convert FSX airports to XP. The XP freeware community is kind and robust. Payware is more affordable. Updating XP add-ons is simple. Even backing up is a breeze.

 

There's enough content to keep me enjoying the sim, instead of always updating add-ons and tweaking a cracked platform.

[ricka47 611]

I'm also a convert who has removed P3D completely.  I tried to do that with XP10 and it didn't work.  I like not having the the CTD's and the blurries.  However, I will take a look at P3D-64 when it comes as XPlane still needs a few things (seasons, an easy to use traffic addon, etc).  But, for now, I'm quite happy happy with the decision.

[carrotroot 77]

 

 

I'm a GA guy that fly slow and low in SoCal, and currently the only add-on I'm using is FTX SoCal, few Carenado Birds and that's it 
I'm RW Student Pilot and wish to use the Sim for training purposes.

 

The Good: X-Plane is pretty strong when it comes to GA, and has been one area where the platform has had an edge over FSX/P3D for some time -- especially if you like Carenado aircraft. Also, X-Plane's OSM based scenery is incredibly detailed; the roads have street lights, signs, railroad crossings, and other traffic signals; neighborhoods have parked cars picnic tables and chairs; there are also power lines and other miscellaneous stuff adds to the autogen scenery. 

 

The Bad: The default clouds in XP11 Beta are shameful, however the developers have said that this will be improved. Fortunately, the xEnviro plugin seems to be shaping up to be X-Plane's answer to Active Sky.

 

The Ugly: The ATC is probably X-Plane's absolute weakest area; but since you are student it's probably better to go with Pilotedge a Live ATC.

[Retirednavy 3]

I switched over to XP11 from P3D.  I had a lot of addons from ORBX, FTX GLOBAL, ASNext, ETC.  I was just tired of the blurries, and micro stutters I was having with P3D.  I tried the XP11 Demo and that was really it for me to decide,  the scenery was so incredibly detailed.  Plus it was smooth and no micro stutters.  I purchased it and had a quick fly around last night and happy with it.  You being  a GA guy that likes to fly low and slow I believe XP11 will be so beneficial for you.  I know XP11 is weak on traffic but I believe in time something will come out that is worth the money.  Plus talking about addons there are so many free high quality addons with XP11 is another reason why I switched over.  Still have my P3D and addons so if I ever switch back I would just have to put them all back on my computer.  But so far I am happy with XP11 and can't wait to see what other programs will be coming out for it.  Pondering of purchasing XEnviro for it for weather right now.